Fresh hunt for Suzanne Pilley

Officers searching for the body of murdered Suzanne Pilley have identified a key new search area, The Sunday Post can reveal.

The 38-year-old disappeared in May 2010 and has not been seen since. Her ex-lover David Gilroy is serving life for her murder but has refused to say where he disposed of her body.

The Sunday Post has now learned that a remote spot near Minard, Argyll, is subject to a fresh, intesive police search in connection with Suzanne.

Officers have moved into the area in response to claims from a witness who saw Gilroy’s silver car on the main road between Loch-gilphead and Inverary the day after she vanished.

The same witness also claims to have spotted Gilroy’s Vauxhall Vectra at a quiet spot off the main A83 arterial route that runs through the area.

Last night, Police Scot-land confirmed they were looking at the site in Minard.

DCI Stuart Houston said: “The area of Minard, along with a number of areas in Argyll, did feature in the investigation. Following the recent appeal on BBC’s Crimewatch, officers have followed up on information that has been passed to police, which is subject to further investigation.”

Earlier this month, Suzanne’s heartbroken parents appealed on Crimewatch for Gilroy, 50, to reveal their daughter’s final resting place.

Grief stricken Sylvia Pilley sobbed as she said: “Justice had been done, but we felt so sad after it because we weren’t going to get her back. She’s lying somewhere and nobody knows, as if nobody loved her.”

Gilroy was jailed in 2012 for life and must serve a minimum of 18 years after being found guilty of Suzanne’s murder and defeating the ends of justice.

During the investigation into her disappearance more than 200 searchers scoured 100,000 acres of land. Their earlier hunt focused on the Argyll Forest, targeting Glen Croe, and an area known as Hell’s Glen.

Gilroy’s trial heard that the day after Suzanne disappeared, he drove his Vectra to Lochgilphead, some 13 miles from Minard. He was then spotted near Lochgilphead High School buying black bin bags.